Paid Community Organizing Training

Posted by on November 4, 2005

DART is now accepting applications for the 2006 DART Organizers Institute, the paid, four-month field school for people interested in launching a career in community organizing. Participants will undergo a combined classroom and field training covering such topics as:

? Entering a community
? Identifying and training local leaders
? Strategic planning and issue cutting
? Relationship and community building
? Direct Action on community issues
? Fundraising

The DART Center, has built coalitions throughout the country that have won important victories on a broad set of justice issues including:

? Education reform in low-performing public schools
? Job Training
? Drugs and Violence
? Criminal Recidivism
? Living Wage
? Neighborhood Revitalization, etc.

The DART Organizers Institute combines a 7-day classroom orientation with 15 weeks of infield training at a DART host organization. This is a paid training program that includes: a $6,500 living stipend, transportation to the classroom orientation and host city, and mileage reimbursement during the infield training. Room, board, and tuition will also be paid by DART during the 7-day classroom training. After successful completion of the program, DART will work to place graduates into fulltime salaried positions.

Graduates from the four month DART Organizers Institute have gone onto accept Executive Director and Associate Community Organizing positions throughout the country. We continue to train the best of those working to build the power of low-moderate income communities to win victories on important issues in their community.

The program starts June 18, 2006 and runs through October 6, 2006. Host organizations are located in several cities throughout Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana. Applications are being accepted now.

Although it may be helpful, no direct experience is necessary. Organizer Trainees (OTs) hired to participate in the DART Organizers Institute must demonstrate a desire to pursue community organizing as a long-term professional career. A master’s degree or similar life experience is preferred though unnecessary. Candidates must have a college degree or be graduating prior to June 1, 2006. Also, candidates must display a workmanlike diligence, be driven to produce sustained results, have proven capacity to build relationships of trust, create and execute a plan, act professionally, feel comfortable working with congregations, be accountable and willing to hold others accountable, demonstrate disciplined thought and action, and work in a team setting. OTs must also have access to a car during their training and be flexible regarding relocation. Fluency in Spanish/English is a plus and people of color are encouraged to apply.

To find out more about DART or to apply, we encourage you to send your resume to: Ben MacConnell, DART Network, 820 New York Street, Lawrence, KS 66044 or by email: institute@thedartcenter.org. If you have any questions, please call: (785) 841-2680. Also, you can download applications or view profiles from previous OTs at the DART website: <a href="http://www.thedartcenter.org">http://www.thedartcenter.org<a/>. The 2006 DART Organizers Institute Application Deadline is January 1, 2006.